


What Friends Are For

by QueenOfNewOrleans22



Category: Bon Jovi (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Mild Angst, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:46:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25851556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfNewOrleans22/pseuds/QueenOfNewOrleans22
Summary: It's funny, how even the most different people can become such close friends.
Relationships: Tico Torres & David Bryan
Kudos: 6





	What Friends Are For

**Author's Note:**

> This is NOT a romance fic. I also have no real idea of what this fic even if is or what purpose it serves. But I like it.

It was 3:35. 

Tico sighed and considered just going back to sleep. He was beyond exhausted and the idea of getting out of bed and leaving behind his warm, relatively comfortable bed wasn't very appetizing. He wasn't made for long nights, and especially wasn't meant to spend hours upon hours at night looking for his friend who hadn't come to bed, but, then again, he was the responsible one. Well, okay, he wasn't the only responsible on in the group, but he was the second-eldest in the group and usually put in charge of making sure that nobody stayed out late or did anything dumb. 

With a sigh, Tico slipped out of bed, grimacing at the cold air as it hit his skin. With his luck, David was probably passed out, safe, somewhere and Tico wouldn't have had anything to worry about. He would be in somebody else's room, and Tico would see this, and get irritated, and then stumble back to the room and fall back asleep. It was a very slim chance that something concerning had actually happened, but it was the reason why Tico got up in the first place. Just to make sure, to ensure everybody's wellbeing, and then he could fall back asleep and forget everything until tomorrow. 

They were currently living above a studio. It wasn't exactly the most ideal living situation ever, but it was better than nothing. There was a single bedroom and a small, rickety bed. Alec, Richie and Jon all shared the bedroom (and drew straws when it came to deciding which one of them would sleep on the chair) while Tico and David were in the living room. It was like a bunch of sardines shoved into a tin can, but life independent of their parents like the adults they were was preferable to the only other option, even if it was a small, cramped space and Tico literally had no place to run too when he got fed up with the chaos. 

Carefully making his way through the small little apartment, Tico peered into the room. He could see Alec and Richie and Jon, but couldn't see a familiar head of wild blonde hair, and sighed, mentally preparing himself for the search of a lifetime. David could be literally anywhere, and there was no telling how long it'd take to find him. 

The bathroom was clear. The kitchen and connected living room were also devoid of any signs of life. Tico checked ever single nook and cranny of the darkened apartment, slowly becoming more and more awake until, eventually, he knew that going back to sleep after this was fruitless. ' _After I find David, I'm going to kill him.'_ Tico thought, as he balanced on one foot and slipped into his shoes. 

Opening the door that lead out of the apartment, Tico went down the stairs, which lead down to the studio. Loathing to awaken anybody else, he used a flashlight to avoid tripping over his own feet and breaking his neck, but flicked the switch when he reached the studio. 

The studio was really one just giant room, and all it took was a quick look around before Tico had to be really nervous. But his worrying was all in vain, evidently, because David hadn't been kidnapped and sold to the highest bidder. Rather, he was sitting at the piano, his elbows resting on the keys, head propped up by his hand. Tico stopped and just stared at him, arms crossed and somewhat incredulous. His first question was regarding how uncomfortable that sleeping position looked, and his second was if he should just leave David for the night.

It would certainly be easier on both his mind and body. David would sleep there for the night, and sure, he might have a crick in his neck from how he was positioned, but lord knows that Tico had all sorts of pains from being kicked and hit throughout the night. For a long minute, Tico was about to just leave him. And then he looked at the windows, one of which was broken and covered up by cardboard, and felt stupid and ridiculous for worrying but _it was his job,_ and also supposed that it was be a long day ahead because David would surely complain about the crick in his neck and how uncomfortable it had been and Tico couldn't help but double-guess himself. 

It would be easier now to just leave him behind and fall asleep, but Tico was too amped up to really sleep now, and decided that he would rather suffer now and get it over with while there was still patience left within him. 

Plus, that window would drive him crazy. 

Tico walked foward and poked David in the shoulder. It didn't even startle him, or register in his subconscious that somebody had just touched him, and David slept on, unbothered. Tico pressed his lips thin and then kicked David's leg, succeeding in a faint mumble but nothing else. 

"David, wake up." Tico whispered. "C'mon. Get up and come back upstairs." He tried, but the sleeping keyboardist was oblivious and possibly in an even deeper sleep than before.

Of all the times, David was choosing not to make up _now._

Oh, well. Desperate times came with desperate measures. There were very few options left, and one of those was a guarantee. 

Reaching out, Tico grabbed a strand of hair and tugged on it sharply. 

With a yelp like a wounded dog, David woke up.

Tico fought down a jolt of pride. 

" _Oww."_ David hissed between his teeth and rubbed the back of his head. He was still partly asleep, but awake enough to look up at the older man with confusion and hurt. "What was that for, man?" He sounded wounded. Tico was sympathetic, but not deterred. In fact, now that his target was awake, he could move on with his self imposed plan. "You need to get back upstairs, otherwise you'll be complaining tomorrow because you fell asleep like this." Tico explained. A part of him wondered if anything he was saying was registering, and another part was dubious. 

A minute passed. The clock ticked impatiently, and David just shook his head and placed his head back onto his hand. "No, thanks." He mumbled with a yawn. Tico scowled and grabbed his arm, acting quick before David went back into wonderland and he would be left with only his hair-pulling to bring him back. "Oh, no you don't. You're coming with me, and all I ask is that you stay awake long enough to not stumble straight into a goddamn wall." Tico said, trying to keep at least somewhat quiet. The walls were very thin, and the same went for the floors. He didn't need to deal with an irritated band on top of this. 

David still had his eyes closed, but he was talking. "Just leave me." He said, and Tico considered it, really, but he looked back at the window, then remembered the guaranteed complaints, and knew that there was no chance in hell now that he could think about it clearly. "I will not leave you. Now, David, I am much stronger than you are. I can and very much will drag you if I need too." He enunciated each word, trying to hammer the words home. 

The hopeful effect was less than desired. 

"You're short." David replied, now resting his head on both arms. The keys on the piano voiced their displeasure. "You can't get me up the stairs." He added, as if Tico didn't understand what he was trying to say the first time around. And, oh, how he understood. Tico smiled thinly, in that way of his that suggested murder was just around the corner, and leaned down. "Lest I have I remind you of that one incident where I threw that guitarist out on his ass, I'd suggest you get up." 

Familiar eyes popped open, and David suddenly looked very much awake. They looked at each other, and then Tico offered his hand. It was taken, and David stood up, looking very displeased about the situation at hand. "I wouldn't have complained." He said as they began to climb the stairs. Tico laughed, a short, quiet nose. "Yeah, okay. That is a lie to end all lies- one foot in front of the other. Has anybody ever told you that you're like a child?" Tico said. David did his usual grin and detained his footing from where he had almost fallen. "I've been told that I was such a serious kid growing up that I'm doomed to act like this as an adult to make up for it." He said. The joke fell flat without the energy it was usually said with, but it worked, anyways. It was slow work, getting up the stairs. Tico was fearing an accidental fall, and kept a steady grip on the man beside him as they went up, footsteps thumping against wood.

Back during the beginning of the band, before they'd even really taken off and it was just two of the now five people, there had been some trepidation from the other members regarding their reserved guitarist and hyperactive keyboardist. Jon, in particular, was worried about fighting and how such different people would fit into a band, but, as it turned out, opposites could get along just fine. Sure, Tico sometimes wondered about duct taping David's mouth shut, and he was sure that the keyboardist had felt similar inclinations, but they just clicked. 

Maybe it was their designated 'roles' in the band. Or perhaps it was just because David didn't really expect a response when he started rambling and because Tico didn't really mind said rambling. They bounced off of each other and made it work, able to spend hours in the company of one another because there weren't any expectations. They were fine just being, even if that included an endless chatter and moody silence. 

The sun was beginning to appear. Tico couldn't find it within himself to be mad as he directed David back into the bed, figuring that they had at least an hour of sleep ahead of them before they would inevitably be awoken. Truth be told, the reason he believed that they got along so well together was that he enjoyed the talking, and maybe David enjoyed the silence. 

As usual, David pressed himself against the wall and Tico had to risk nearly falling off the edge of the bed. ' _This better be worth it.'_ He thought. Nobody talked about their fears, because it felt taboo, and nobody wanted to admit that they were beginning to dread what might come next. They had managed to get the album out, now what? An endless worry about sales and reception?

"Go to sleep." David said, clumsily reaching for his shoulder in the relative dark that remained and patting it. "Thanks for getting me up here. My neck was beginning to hurt. I just wanted to make sure that my skills were top notch." He yawned and then rolled onto his side. In just under a minute, he was asleep again. 

Tico caught the underlying insecurity in David's voice, heard the fear about not being good enough in a world full of broken dreams, and understood. Everybody had to be great enough. Not _good_ enough, just beyond that. No mistakes could be tolerated, not from any of them.

Then again, beneath his cheery facade, David struggled and worried about his position in the band. But Tico was confident in his friend's skills, and knew that if whatever they were doing didn't work out, then he would still suceed. They all would. 

"That's what friends are for." Tico said. 

He was asleep soon enough. 


End file.
